Thermomagnetic therapeutic appliance



i. H. DEQUER. THERMOMAGNETIC THERAPEUTIC APPLANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1920. l 1,391,762, l v PatentedSept. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

www @MMM W i l. H. DEQUER.

THERMOMAGNETIC THERAPEUHC APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l, 1920.

1,391,762. -Pamedsepn 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ile-ololl lOl l.

citizen of the UnitedStates, residin in that type of thermo-magnetic therapeutic UNITED STATES JOHN H. DEQUEB, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

THERMOMAGNETIC THERAPEUTIC APPLIANCE.

specification ot Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

Application led Hay 1, 1920. Serial No. 378,217. V

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. DEQUER, a at Kansas City, county of Jackson, and i tate of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful v Improvements in Thermomagnetic Therapeutic Appliances; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements appliances which employ a non-conducting base supporting a coiled electrical conductor to provide both a magnetic field and a heating zone when connected in circuit with a suitable electrical current.

The valuable therapeutic results obtained with such appliances, in the treatment of numerous ailments of the human organism, are now well understood, whether the appliance be in the nature of a blanket, robe, suiting, bandage, pad, hood, mask, gauntlets, stockings or otherwise.

With my invention, maximum induction and a moderated heat are desired, and it may be said at the outset, thcrefore,'that the coiled conductor should be of comparatively low resistance, as otherwise, if a high resistance conductor was employed, owing to the length of the conductor required, the heat generated would be so intense as to ignite any fabric that might be satisfactorily used in the make up of the appliance, while at the same time it would substantially cut down the magnetic induction.

While the present invention broadly involves a novel system of wiring such a blanket, robe or other flexible covering with a plurality of serially co-acting circuit coils well as the installation of a selective switch arrangement therefor, whereby the distribution, regulation and control of a variably applied degree of heat may be eiiiciently carried out, still there areother important features of improvement involved, with reference to (ro-acting appliances laccessory thereto and details of equipment generally` including a reinforcing protective tube for the various terminal connections, all of which features are believed to be new in the art and of distinctive advantage in overcoming serious objections heretofore encountered.

The several objects and advantages of the instant inventlon will be so clearly a parent, 'as incidental to the followin disclosure, that it would only be undesirable sur lusage to refer further to the same initial y, and with these prefacing remarks,

and for a vbetter understanding of the en.

suing claims, reference will be had immediately to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this applicatlon, in which drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of a blanket equipped with my improvements, broken away centrally and with its top or inner covering omitted to show clearly the serially co-acting coil circuit system of wiring, and a suitable switchboard arrangement being illustrated diagrammatically at the upper right hand corner; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an exag erated sc ale, taken along the line 2-2 of ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a local inductlon pad, whlch is a special co-acting accessory of the blanket proper; Fig. 4' is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View through one of the reinforcing protective cones, one of which is associated with the terminal connections for the blanket, although not shown at Fig. l. as well as with thelocal induction pad, as illustrated, and in fact with any other appliance used as an accessory to the blanket pro er or its equivalent.

e numeral 5 designates a thin sheet of rubberoid or other freely exible insulating or non-conducting material, on which is laid and suitably secured the several tortuous windings of the serially co-acting circuit conductors, disposed in juxtaposition as shown, and these intermediate elements are associated with a basic or outer layer 6 of thick wool and a top or inner covering of outing liannel, which latter may be secured to the layer 6 by means of snap buttons, or other readily detachable securing means, not necessary to illustrate. Is also obvious that these encompassing layers may be of any other suitable material and of several thicknesses if found eX edient.

At Fig. 1 there 1s shown a series of three circuit conductors, which are respectively indicated at l, 2 and 3, and each of which traverses substantially the whole heating area of the blanket in contiguous paths, but

owing to their being connected up in series, as will hereinafter appear, by the proper manipulation of a suitable selective switch, they may be caused to function as heating coils of one, two and threefold lengths, thus establishing temperatures of varying degrees while at the same time infiuencing the lines of magnetic force, and hence regulating the intensity of the field of magnetic induction.

For convenience in tracing out this improved special arrangement, the individual coil complements are illustrated by heavier and lighter lines, but as a matter of fact all of these conductors are of the same diameter, and are preferably in the nature of licht cables, each formed of twelve strands o #80 diamond drawn fine copper wire covered with double silk insulation or other suitable insulation material.

The number of ampere turns of each coil conductor should be approximately such that, where all three of the coil complements are cut into action as when in circuit with a current of 11() volts with a flow of approximately 5 amperes, the resistance would generate a heat not to exceed say about 120 Fahrenheit. With the switch thrown to cut in only two of thecoil complements, the temperature would be lowered to about 110, while with only one coil complement functionin a the degree of heat would be further re uced to about 100.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that in reality I provide for substantially one and the same continuous heating area in all instances, encompassing approximately the entire up er or inner surface of the blanket, but whic heating area is under a graduate control to emit heat of three different degrees of desired intensity, and these graduate subdivisions may be appropriately termed the maximum, intermediate and minimum circuit zones.

In order to attain this desired functioning, the entrant end of each of the three coil complements 1, 2 and 3 is respectively connected to contact points 11, 12 and 13 of a suitable selective switch, conventionally illustrated as a three-way switch having the swinging blade 4, the pivotal end of which latter is in electrical connection with, a short conductor 8 leading from the entrant terminal 9 for the exciting current source. The exit end of the line 1, or anterior coil complement leads out initially to the return teri minal 10 of the source of current supply, but the exit end of the successive coil complement 2 does not lead out initially to the terminal 10, being joined to the entrant end of the line 1, as indicated at 14. Analogously, the exit end of the line 3 is joined to the entrant end of the line 2, as at 15.

Each of the coil complements is provided with a signal lamp, indicated respectively at 21, 22 and 23, mounted on the switchboard in circuit with their complemental contacts 11, 12 and 13, the switchboard itself being designated in dotted outline by the numeral 1G and obviously may be formed of any sultablc material, such as two thicknesses of fiber board of proper dimensions, which may be secured in position by screws or otherwise.

The switchboard connecting conductors to and from the coil complements are preferably ofhea-vier construction than the actual coil lines (to afford a substantial protection against undue breakage at the switchboard position) and may each comprise a threeply braided cable, individually formed analogously to the lighter cables, merging into the lighter cables 1, 2 and 3 at different positions along the lines, both toward the entrant and exit ends thereof, as would be indicated by the grou s 17 and 18 of three-ply construction. In addition to reinforcing the joinder between the switchboard conductor leads and the coil complements ends, this stepped feed arrangement at 17 and 18, it is believed, has another important feature of relieving the fine wire coil complements from having too sudden a load or electrical stress placed thereon, as the switch as initially closed to cut in the outside current supply.

At one corner of the switchboard there is also mounted an auxiliary switch arrangement, adapted for controlling the passage Yof the current through one or more attached accessory therapeutic appliances, and for this purpose I have conventionally illustrated a pair of two-point switches, each having a swinging contact arm indicated respectively at 19 and 20.

The switch arm 19 is pivotally mounted at 24, in circuit with a short connection 25 from the exit end of the coil 1, and coperates with the Contact 26, of a branch line 27, as well as with a lcontact; terminal 28 of a T-conductor 29 in the main outletline, the opposite end of which T-conductor provides a pivotal support 3() for the switch arm 20.

The switch arm 20 in turn cooperates with a contact 31, of a second branch line 32, and likewise with a contact terminal 33 of a second T-conductor 34, the opposite end of which latter provides the return terminal 1() to the source of current supply.

Each of the branch lines 27 and 32 has a signal lamp in its circuit, as indicated at 35 and 36, and also each of these branch lines has a terminal plug socket, designated at 37 and 38, coacting with complementary plug sockets in circuit with the T-conductors 29 and 34. For convenience of reference, the branch lines 27 and 32 may be appropriately termed the U-branches. in distinguish- At Fi s. 3 and 4 there is illustrated a novel form o a locally manipulative induction pad, which is peculiarly appurtenant as ii coacting accessory of the blanket per se, or its equivalent, in the topical treatment of the thoracic, abdominal and elvic regions especially, for a more Spee( ily effective relief from congested and painful conditions thereof.

This local induction pad consists of an upper and a lower section 40 and 41, respectively, composed of a closely woven cloth fabric, or other suitable material, which may be of circular contour, and the upper section being of a larger area than the lower one, so that it may be warped or dished upwardly and provide a substantial interior space between the sections, when the peripheral edges thereof are secured in congruent position. This latter may be accomplished by the interposition ofa spacing ring 42, which may be of a suitable llght metal if desired or of other material, to which the edges of the fabric sections 40 and 4l may be detachably secured, as by snap vbuttons 43 or otherwise.

Each of the pad sectionsV are centrally apertured, as at 44 and 45, ,to receive the ends of a tubular core spool or barrel 46, of an induction coil element, having the upper and lower disk flanges 47 and 48 for detachably supporting the inner edges of the fabric sections, wlnch may be held by snap buttons 49 or otherwise.

To the inside face of the upper fabric section there is stitched, or otherwise secured, an insulated cable 50, of substantially the same form as the blanket coil cables, it being spirally wound in close convolutions from its outer end 5l, toward the peripheral edge of the section, to its inner end 52 toward the center thereof. An analogous cable 53 is laid upon the inner face of the lower fabric section, its inner end being indicated at 54 and its outer end at 55.

56 designates a soft iron coil wound around the barrel 46 and provides the core proper of the induction coil element. This coil 56 is enveloped by'a cylinder 57 of insulating material, and around the latter is wound a plurality of layers of an insulated cable 60, of substantially the same style as the fine wire cables of the pad sections and blanket, and the coil 60 is encompassed by a second cylinder 61 of insulation material.

One end 58, of the coil 60, is connected with the inner end 52 of the upper fabric section coil, while the other end 59 thereof is analogously connected to the inner end 54 of the lower fabric section coil, so that the coils of these upper and lower fabric sections are connected in continuing series through the coil 60 of the housed induction coil element.

Radial resilient strips 62 and 63 are respectively associated with the inner faces of the upper and lower fabric sections to provide arched and straight flexing stay supports therefor, which allow for a vibratory and sin-tional massaging motion, in the application of the induction pad, and also permitting of the centralizing of the magnetic charge at any desired position on the body, to relieve pain and local congestions, as well as adapting the lower pad section to accommodate itself to the contour of the body. A suitable coiled spring construction might be made to serve the same purpose as these springy stays.

The free ends 5l and 55, of the cables 50 and 53, are connected to a pair of braided current applying cables, indicated at 64 and 65, which in turn are in circuit with the contact elements 66 and 67 of the usual type of hard rubber plug support 68, but in the ordinary connections between these braided cables'and the hard rubber plug support, there 1s a strong tendency 1n actual use of the wires being wiggled therein, and thus becoming abraded and breaking with a consequent arcing of the current at that position as is well understood.

To avoid just such objections, I have devised a special means for the protective reinforcement or staying support of the connection of the braided cables at the plug, which Consists of an open-ended conical tube 69,

that may be formed of a stiff cloth fabric such as heavy braided cotton, or other suitable material, the base of which conical stocking-like element is fitted over the plug support and secured thereto by a crimping rim 70, while the apex thereof is clamped rigidly to the cables, at a position substantially distant from the plug element, as byl a clamping band 7l, the spaced ends of which may be drawn together by a screw 72 or equivalent means.

One of these devices is shown in sectional detail at Fig. 5 and in applied use with the induction pad at Fig. 3, but while the device is not shown at Fig. l, owing toI lack of proper illustrative space, it is to be understood that one of these protective cones is also associated with the blanket construction, and in fact it is attached to the lamp cord connections, or current applying cables, of each and everyone of the therapeutic accessory appliances utilizable with the blanket or its equivalent.

It is not believed to be desirable to encumber this application with specific illustrations and descriptions in detail of all of the accessory therapeutic appliances that may be coactively associated with the improved blanket, as I claim no particular novelty in them per se, with the exception of the local induction pad illustrated` but it may be well to briefiy refer generally to the class of limb induction socks or stockings,

which are commonly employed in associaitreatment is for the hands and arms) are formed substantially in the same manner and of the same materials as the blanket structure, excepting that they need only have one coiled circuit line (that is to say one for each member connected in series) as the current therethrough, and hence the thermic and induction requirements for any patient, may be fully regulated by the graduate control of the circuits around the blanket structure. and this whether the stockings are used alone with the blanket or in conjunction with the local induction pad, heretofore described or other accessory therapeutic appliance, all of which will be clearly apparent.

Operation.

Assuming first that the blanket is being used alone, as when the auxiliary switch arms 19 and 2() are thrown to the full line positions, to cut out the U-branches 27 and 32 which are respectively adapted to include an accessory appliance in circuit with the blankets coil element or elements, then with the selective switch arm 4 thrown to the contact 11, the other twocontacts 12 and 13 being thereby positively maintained open. the path of the incoming current (say from an electric light fixture) will be as follows Entrant terminal 9, short connection 8, contact 11, signal lamp 21, coil complement line 1, from whence it leads directly out initially by way of 25, 19, 29, 20, 34 to the exit terminal 10, and back to the source of supply, covering only the minimum or first Zone circuit belt as it will not have traversed either of the coil complements 2 or 3. With the switch arm 4 thrown to the contact 12 (contacts 11 and 13 being cut out) obviously the circuit from the switch arm will continue by way of contact 12, signal lamp 22 and initially around the coil complement 2, from whence it enters the coil complement 1, at the joinder 14, and finally leads out from the line 1 at 25 as heretofore described, having traversed both of the coil complements 2 and 1 and hence the intermediate or second zone circuit belt. Analogously, with the switch arm 4 thrown to the contact 13, contacts 11 and 12 being cut out, the flow will be then by way of contact 13. signal lamp 23, initially around coil complement 3, entering the line 2 at. 15. thence around coil complement 2,entcring the line 1 at 14, and finally leading out from the line 1 at 25, as before described, having traversed all three of the coil complements and hence the maximum or third zone circuit belt. Obviously,-in all 4three of the instances cited, the proper signal lamp will be lighted to indicate which of the circuit zone belts is being traversed.

Assuming now that it is desired to use the induction pad, and that the U-branch 27 is 70 the branch customarily employed for that purpose (although either U-branch may be used for any accessory attachment) then the switch 20 remains positioned as in Fig. 1, but the auxiliary switch arm 19 is shifted to engage the contact 26, leaving a gap between 24 and 28. With the contact pins 66-67 now plugged int'o the sockets 37, the circuit lfrom 25 will be completed through the local induction pad by Way of 24, 19, 26, 27, including the signal lamp 35, thence continuing by way of 29, 30, 20, 33, 34 and to the exit terminal 10. If, on the other hand, the accessory appliance is coupled up in the branch 32, instead of in the branch 27, then the switch arm 19 would be positioned as in full lines at Fig. 1, closing the gap between 24, and 28, while the auxiliary switch arm 20 should be shifted from the contact' 33 to the contact 31, leaving a gap between the switch arm pivot 30 and the Contact 33, whereupon the circuit from 25 would be completed through the accessory appliance, be it` the induction pad, socks or other equipment, when its contact pins are plugged into the adjacent sockets 38, by way of 24, 19, 28, 29, 30, 20, 31, 32, including the signal lamp 36, andl out through 34 into 10, omitting the branch 27 entirely. If it be desired to use both the induction pad and the socks, or other ac- 100 cessory appliance, at the same time, the switch 19 is thrown to the contact 26 while the switch 20 is thrown to the contact 31, when gaps will be provided between 24-28 as well as between 3()-33, whereupon the cir- 105 cuit will include both U-branches 27 and 32, including their signal lamps and plugged in accessory equipment, the circiut from 25 being then by way of 24, 19, 2G, 27, 37, 29, 30, 20, 3l, 32, 38, 34 to 10.

Thus it will be seen that this auxiliary switching arrangement of itself serves a far reaching advancement in the art, in addition. to and in co-acting combination with the improved blanket structure, enabling the em- 115 ployment of various important accessory appliances in conjunction therewith, and all being under es ecially effective thermal and magnetic regu ation by virtue'of the im proved graduate control of lthe coil comple- 120 ments of the blanket.

Also, it may be said that, although in 'actual practice I find that three blanket coil tion are still incorporated.

Therefore, while I have thus `made a complete disclosure of the improvements, it may later be found to be desirable or expedient to make alterations in the structural formation and arrangement of the elements thereof, but Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it will be accordingly understood that I do not limit myself necessarily to the exact details as shown and described, excepting as they may come within the purview of the ensuing claims, when fairly interpreted in the light of the speciication and understood equivalents.

What I do claim, as new and patentable, is y n 1. A thermo-magnetic therapeutic appliance, embodying a base support of suitable material; resistance conducting means comprising an anterior and a successive coil com- Element wound on said base support, each avinga separate entrant contact end with the exit end of said successive coil complement connected in series with the entrant end of said anterior coil complement to provide for continuous circuits of varying lengths having a single final exit within the zone of said base support; and switching means associated with said respective entrant contact ends for selectively closing a shorter circuit through said anterior coil complement and a longer circuit through said successive and anterior coil complements.

2. A thermo-magnetic therapeutic appliance, embodying a base support of suitable material; resistance conducting means comprising anterior and successive coil complements wound on said base support, each having a separate entrant contact end with the exit end of each successive coil complement connected in series with the entrant end of its immediately preceding coil complement to provide for continuous circuits of varying lengths having a single final exit within the zone of said base support; and switching means associated with said respective entrant contact ends for selectively closing a shorter circuit through said anterior coil complement and longer circuits through successive and anterior coil complements.

3. A thermo-magnetic therapeutic appliance, embodying a base support of suitable material; an electrical resistance conductor suitably coiled thereon and providing an entrant contact end and an exit end, for connection in circuit with an electrical current source; a switch control for said entrant contact end; a switch controlled branch connected in series with said resistance conductor coil. providing contact making elements for the attachment of an accessory therapeutic appliance; and an auxiliary switch associated with said branch for cutting the current therethrough, as desired, substantially as described.

4. A thermo-magnetic therapeutic appliance, embodying a base support of suitable material; a plurality vof electrical resistance conductors, each comprising a coil complement, wound thereon and so connected in series as to provide independent entrant contact ends and a common exit end, for connection in circuit with an electrical current source; a switch controlled branch connected in series with said coil complements, providing contact making elements for the attachment of an accessory therapeutic appliance; switching means associated with all of said entrant contact ends for selectively closing a circuit through any one thereof; and an auxiliary switch associated with said branch for cutting the current therethrough, as desired, substantially as described. f

5. A thermo-magnetic therapeutic appliance, embodying a base support of suitable material; a plurality of electrical resistance conductors, each comprlsing a coil complement, wound thereon and so connected in series as to vprovide independent entrant contact ends and a common exit end, for connection in circuit with an electrical current source; a plurality of switch controlled branches connected in series with said coil complements, providing contact making elements for the attachment of accessory therapeutic appliances.; switching means associated with all of said entrant contact ends, for selectively closing a circuit through any one thereof; and auxiliary switching means associated with said branches, for cutting the current through any one or more thereof, as desired, substantially as described.

6. A thermo-magnetic therapeutic appliance. embodying a base supportof suitable material; a plurality of electrical resistance conductors, each comprising a coil complement, wound thereon and so connected in continuing series as to provide independent entrant contact ends and a common exit end, for connection in circuit with an electrical current Source; a plurality of Switch controlled branches connected in series with said coil complements, providing contact making elements for the attachment of accessory therapeutic appliances; separate signal electric lamps included in circuit with each ot said coil complements and each yof said branches; switchingmeans associated resistance conductor suitably Wound thereon as coll complements and terminating in a. palr of lead out ends for attachment with lamp cord connections; and a magnetic in-y duction element, housed by said hollow interior, including an insulated coil of fine Wire cable, wound around a suitable soft iron core, and connected at its ends in series with and intermediate of the coil comple ments of said flexible sections, substantially as described.

8. As an accessory equipment for thermomagnetic therapeutic appliances employing lamp'cord leads with socket plug connections, a reinforcing protective device for encompassing' the connections of the lamp cords with their socket plugs, embodying a hollow elongated conical element formed of suitable stiff material; means for securely attaching the hollow base of said conical element around a socket plug; and means for` clamping the apex portion thereof around the lamp cord connections at a position substantially distant from the socket plug, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I allx my signature.

JOHN H. DEQUER. 

